Microprocessor controlled delivery system for cardiac valve prosthesis

Abstract

An instrument for deploying a cardiac valve prosthesis, including a plurality of radially expandable portions, at an implantation site, includes a plurality of deployment elements each independently operable to obtain the radial expansion of a radially expandable portion of the valve prosthesis. The instrument includes a microprocessor configured to processes signals from one or more sensors and to optimize deployment of the valve prosthesis.

1 . A device for implanting an expandable heart valve prosthesis, the device comprising a deployment mechanism capable of deploying the prosthesis and a microprocessor communicatively linked with at least a portion of the deployment mechanism. 
   
   
       2 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the microprocessor is configured to control operation of the deployment mechanism. 
   
   
       3 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the microprocessor is a multi-core microprocessor. 
   
   
       4 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the device further comprises a sensor communicatively linked to the microprocessor. 
   
   
       5 . The device of  claim 4  wherein the sensor is selected from the group consisting of a calcium sensor, a fluorescence sensor, a blood gas sensor, an oximetry sensor, and a cardiac output sensor. 
   
   
       6 . The device of  claim 1  further comprises an imaging module. 
   
   
       7 . The device of  claim 6  wherein the imaging module is a radiation emitting chip. 
   
   
       8 . The device of  claim 6  wherein the imaging module is selected from the group consisting of an echocardiographic imaging module and optical coherence tomography module capable of providing an image through blood. 
   
   
       9 . The device of  claim 6  wherein the imaging module is a digital imaging module. 
   
   
       10 . The device of  claim 6  further comprising communication circuitry configured to transmit an image captured by the imaging module to and external device. 
   
   
       11 . The device of  claim 1  further comprising a pump communicatively linked to the microprocessor. 
   
   
       12 . The device of  claim 11  further comprising a sensor and in which the pump variably pumps volumes of blood as a function of data from the sensor. 
   
   
       13 . The device of  claim 1  further comprising an injector, and wherein the injector is configured for control by the microprocessor. 
   
   
       14 . The device of  claim 2  wherein the deployment mechanism further comprises a microactuator. 
   
   
       15 . The device of  claim 2  wherein the deployment mechanism is capable of variably opening the expandable prosthesis. 
   
   
       16 . The device of  claim 2  further comprising a native valve removal or expansion mechanism operatively coupled to the deployment mechanism. 
   
   
       17 . A method of deploying an expandable heart valve prosthesis, the method comprising deploying the prosthesis using a microprocessor controlled delivery device. 
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 17  wherein the delivery device includes a deployment element and the prosthesis is self expandable, and further wherein the microprocessor controls the deployment element. 
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 17  wherein the device partially controls, or optionally fully controls, the placement of the prosthesis at a suitable implantation location. 
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 17  further comprising having the device provide digital information permitting the manual placement of the prosthesis at a suitable location by an operator. 
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 17  wherein the device generates a visual image. 
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 21  wherein the visual image is selected from the group consisting of: the location of the prosthesis in a beating heart, a portion of the device in relation to anatomical structures in a patient's heart, the prosthesis in a stage of partial deployment, and the prosthesis in a fully deployed state. 
   
   
       23 . A device for implanting a heart valve prosthesis, the device comprising a microprocessor and at least one functionality controlled by the microprocessor. 
   
   
       24 . The device of  claim 23  in which the functionality comprises a sensing functionality, the sensing functionality comprising a sensor communicatively linked to the microprocessor. 
   
   
       25 . The device of  claim 23  further comprising imaging functionality communicatively linked to the microprocessor. 
   
   
       26 . The device of  claim 23  wherein the functionality comprises native valve removal functionality controlled by the microprocessor. 
   
   
       27 . The device of  claim 23  wherein the functionality comprises axial positioning functionality controlled by the microprocessor. 
   
   
       28 . The device of  claim 23  wherein the functionality comprises radial positioning functionality controlled by the microprocessor. 
   
   
       29 . The device of  claim 23  wherein the functionality comprises functionality to take a three-dimensional image of an interior portion of a patient's arterial tree and at least a portion of a patient's heart and functionality to take the three-dimensional image and guide the prosthesis to a predetermined location using the three-dimensional image data. 
   
   
       30 . The device of  claim 23  wherein the functionality comprises native valve ballooning functionality. 
   
   
       31 . An improved method of delivering an implantable heart valve prosthesis, the improvement comprising superimposing real-time images taken from an imaging mechanism onto pre-operatively taken three-dimensional images and positioning the prosthesis as a function of its location in relation to the images.